2 Residents With Their Buffaloes Get Caught In Mount Semeru's Cold Lava Flood

LUMAJANG - Two residents of Bades Village, Buang (50) and Suara (65) along with their buffalo, were reportedly caught in the cold lava flood of Mount Semeru in the Rotary Screen mining area, Gondoruso Village, Lumajang Regency, East Java.

"There are two people and their buffalo who are residents of Bades Village, Pasirian District, trapped in the cold lava of Semeru and their condition is healthy," said Commander of Kodim 0821 Lumajang Lt. Col. Inf. Andi A. Wibowo, as quoted by Antara, Sunday, January 2, 2022.

He said officers were still trying to evacuate two residents along with four of their livestock trapped in the cold lava flow of Mount Semeru until Sunday night.

Meanwhile, the Pasirian Danramil, Captain Arm Ony Arianto, in a video sent to journalists on Sunday night, said his party, along with Bhabinsa and volunteers, were in the Regoyo River in Bades Village, Pasirian District.

"We are trying to evacuate two residents of Bades Village who are on the opposite side of the river through which the cold lava of Mount Semeru passes, but the current is still quite strong," he said.

According to him, officers are also considering the safety factor of the volunteers who will evacuate the two residents of Bades Village because their position is very steep and worrying.

"The river flow through which the cold lava flows is still quite heavy, so we will look at the situation first to evacuate, but it is certain that the condition of the two residents is fine on the other side of the river," he said.

A number of the equipment for evacuating have been well prepared and the safety of the volunteers in the rescue was also carefully considered so that officers waited for the flow of the river flow through which the cold lava of Semeru was not too heavy.

Meanwhile, based on data from the Lumajang BPBD, at the rotary mine site, it was visually observed that two heavy equipment were trapped in the cold lava flow of Mount Semeru, but according to local residents, the operator managed to evacuate to save themselves from the cold lava flood.

Cold lava flood brought hot material and mud that was washed away with the flow of the river that led to the flow of the Besuk Kobokan and Besuk Lekong rivers which flowed to Candipuro District, the Besuk Bang and Besuk Kembar flow to Pronojiwo District.

The public is also asked to be aware of the burst embankment in Kamar Kajang Hamlet which resulted in hot materials mixed with water soaking Kamar Kajang Hamlet, Bondeli Hamlet, and Kampung Renteng Hamlet in Sumber Wuluh Village, Candipuro District, Lumajang Regency.